Cruising Shelves For Toddlers

Recently at the Bubble Trade Fair in New York City I met parent product innovator Jonathan Gomez Whitney who created cruising shelves influenced by his young daughter when she started pulling herself up by the shelves that lined their bedroom wall. “I was struck on the idea of building shelves that could be a sturdy hand rail while she learned to walk. They could line her bedroom, shelve her favorite toys and help her safely navigate on her own two legs”. Gomez Whitney made the cruising shelves with a recess for her little fingers to grip and pull her self up.

With a background in performance art and design it was fitting that Gomez Whitney create a line to assist the developing baby and toddler cruise. What better way to potentially influence a young creative performance artist!
Having worked with Urban Outfitters as a display artist building displays and fixtures for store openings, Gomez Whitney became interested in furniture building and started his own design company catering to small retail businesses.
Now he designs and builds for more than a dozen commercial clients, creating innovative and functional fixtures and interiors. Together with his wife Veronica, they assembled a studio for building, sewing, printing, and painting. “In November 2008 we launched our Minneapolis based firm DesignElefante not just as a brand name for the Cruising Shelves but to define a portion of our studio for designing and developing great ideas for kids”.

Gomez Whitney builds the Cruising Shelves himself from urea formaldehyde free MDF (a recycled wood material) and applies very low VOC certified paint. His products are tested for CPSC certification. “We also sew and hand silkscreen our own packaging. This creates a product we're proud to deliver.” The shelves offer strong support and are wide enough to hold toys. They’re also a great aid for toddlers or children who might require developmental or physiotherapy support. Each shelf comes with mounting hardware and are available in a selection of colours.

To purchase the shelves visit: pacifieronline.com